Short delay for in-home medical care program
By Gillian Slade on May 16, 2018.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com @MHNGillianSlade There will be a small delay in rolling out a program in Medicine Hat that will see four additional paramedics hired to provide more in-home medical care rather than always transporting patients to hospital. The community paramedic service was initially rolled out as a pilot program in Calgary in 2012 and in Edmonton in 2014. An additional $11 million in funding was announced in February, with another 26 paramedics to be hired for new teams in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Camrose/Wetaskiwin, Grande Prairie and Peace River. The program for Medicine Hat was initially expected to commence this month. “The South Zone piece of the program will roll out in late July/early August. Hiring is just underway,” said a spokesperson for EMS via an emailed update on Tuesday. The decision to expand the community paramedics service was based on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and emergency department admissions specifically related to continuing care residences for seniors, it was revealed in February. Community paramedics responded to 7,862 events last year in the Edmonton area and 6,802 in the Calgary area. When the program is operating across the province it is expected that an additional 20,000 Albertans will be making use of the service. Close to 90 per cent of patients referred to community paramedics can be treated on site, as needed or on a regularly scheduled basis. These paramedics are trained in sutures and wound treatment, diagnostics and electrocardiograms, IV treatments and blood transfusions. They will consult with each patient’s doctor, but are also supported by on-call physicians, according to a government press release. The benefits of having community paramedics will be reduced stress for patients, their families, and improved access to medical care. It is also expected to reduce some pressure on hospitals, a spokesperson for EMS stated in February when the announcement was made. Details of the funding that Medicine Hat will receive to accommodate four additional community paramedics has not yet been revealed. 12
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